11 hours ago
Last Updated:May 09, 2025, 15:25 IST
Pakistan’s missiles targeting Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan were successfully intercepted by India’s S-400 air defence system. Defence sources decode their strategy
Pakistani drone sighted and neutralised by the Indian forces (elft) in Bathinda, the unidentified debris found on Friday. (PTI)
Pakistan on Thursday night launched Hamas-style artillery fire, drone, and missile attacks on multiple locations in India, including a key airstrip in Jammu, a day after India’s precision strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to avenge the Pahalgam massacre.
According to security agencies, Pakistan’s missiles targeting Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan were successfully intercepted by India’s S-400 air defence system. In response, India swarmed Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi with drones.
Defence sources decode Pakistan’s strategy.
THE SEQUENCE
India launched precision strikes under Operation Sindoor on nine terror targets in Pakistan and PoK following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. The strikes killed at least 10 family members of JeM chief Masood Azhar and four close aides.
In retaliation, Pakistan first shelled J&K’s Poonch, killing 16 and injuring over 50. It later attempted to target military installations at 15 locations in India, but its attempts were foiled.
“On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems, The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," the Ministry of Defence said on Thursday afternoon.
Pakistan’s Air Defence units of HQ-9 air defence missile launchers suffered heavy damagea nd the Air Defence system at Lahore was neutralised.
ON THURSDAY NIGHT
Around 8.45 pm, Pakistan launched missiles, drones and artillery fire on Jammu, which was intercepted by India’s air defence systems. The prime targets, according to reports, were Jammu airport and army camps in the city. Within minutes, Pakistan attacked other cities too, including Kupwara, Rajouri and Baramulla in J&K; Pathankot in Punjab; and Jaisalmer and Ganganagar in Rajasthan. Loud explosions were reportedly heard in Jaisalmer as India intercepted Pakistani drones.
The Defence Ministry said the Pakistani military attempted to target Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj. Sources say over 45-50 drones were successfully neutralised during a large-scale counter-drone operation conducted by Indian Army air defence units in the areas of Udhampur, Samba, Jammu, Akhnoor, Nagrota, and Pathankot areas.
India retaliated with attacks in Islamabad, Sialkot and Lahore.
On early Friday morning, Pakistan once again resorted to heavy shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch, Rajouri, Uri and Chowkibal Kupwara, and Poonch, to which India promptly responded. Several houses were damaged in Uri and Chowkibal Kupwara, while one woman was reportedly killed in Uri.
WHAT IS PAKISTAN’S STRATEGY?
“India hit Pakistan badly last night. We sent 14 loiter ammunitions and hit their 12 air defence systems last night in Sialkot, Lahore and Karachi," said top defence sources.
“What they sent were very weak ammunitions. They were either for testing or checks because in most of them, no ammunition was found. This test was possibly to check our preparedness and assessment of air defence systems," they said.
Location : First Published:News india India Repels Pakistan’s Attacks: Decoding Islamabad’s Strategy | Exclusive From Defence Sources
